Power line communication system

Abstract

A vehicular power line communication system includes a looped twisted pair wire, a master, and a slave. The master outputs a high-frequency signal to the twisted pair wire to transmit power and a signal. The slave includes a looped aperture antenna that receives high-frequency power of the twisted pair wire and a received power measurement portion that monitors received power received at the aperture antenna. The aperture antenna includes an aperture region facing an aperture region between twisted portions of the twisted pair wire.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicular power line communication (PLC) system comprising:
 a loop-formed twisted pair wire at which end a core is connected; 
 a master configured to use the twisted pair wire as a power line and a communication line and configured to output a high-frequency signal to the twisted pair wire to transmit power and a signal; and 
 a slave including a looped aperture antenna configured to receive high-frequency power of the twisted pair wire through electromagnetic induction coupling of an electromagnetic field occurring at the twisted pair wire in accordance with an applied current of the twisted pair wire and a received power measurement portion that monitors received power received at the aperture antenna, 
 wherein the aperture antenna includes an aperture region facing an aperture region between a plurality of twisted portions of the twisted pair wire, 
 wherein the master and the slave are configured to operate in an adjustment mode that adjusts power line communication at a communication rate lower than a normal rate before starting normal power line communication, 
 wherein when the master outputs the high-frequency signal, the slave is configured to receive the high-frequency signal and allows the received power measurement portion to measure a reception power level, 
 wherein the communication system is configured such that when a measurement result is greater than or equal to a predetermined level, normal power line communication starts between the master and the slave, and 
 wherein the slave further includes a superposition/separation circuit configured to receive the high-frequency signal from the master, and to separate the received high-frequency signal into a power signal and a communication data signal. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the twisted pair wire is configured so that the aperture region between the twisted portions that faces the aperture region of the aperture antenna is larger than other aperture regions. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the master includes a frequency control portion configured to control a transmission frequency of the high-frequency signal. 
 
     
     
       4. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the master includes an output power control portion configured to control output power for the high-frequency signal. 
 
     
     
       5. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the master and the slave includes a matching portion configured to provide impedance matching for the aperture antenna. 
 
     
     
       6. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the master and the slave includes a matching portion configured to provide impedance matching for the aperture antenna; 
 wherein, when the master outputs the high-frequency signal, the slave is configured to receive the high-frequency signal and is configured to allow the received power measurement portion to measure a reception power level; and 
 wherein, when a measurement result is less than a predetermined level, the slave is configured to allow the matching portion to provide matching. 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the master includes a frequency control portion configured to control a communication frequency of the high-frequency signal; 
 wherein, when the master outputs the high-frequency signal, the slave is configured to receive the high-frequency signal and is configured to allow the received power measurement portion to measure a reception power level; and 
 wherein, when a measurement result is less than a predetermined level, the master is configured to allow the frequency control portion to adjust the communication frequency of the high-frequency signal. 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the master includes an output power control portion configured to control output power for the high-frequency signal; 
 wherein, when the master outputs the high-frequency signal, the slave is configured to receive the high-frequency signal and is configured to allow the received power measurement portion to measure a reception power level; and 
 wherein, when a measurement result is lower than a predetermined level, the master is configured to allow the output power control portion to increase the output power for the high-frequency signal. 
 
     
     
       9. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the slave further includes a power supply monitoring circuit configured to perform power supply to a load, and 
 the power supply monitoring circuit is configured to cut the power supply to the load in the adjustment mode. 
 
     
     
       10. A vehicular power line communication (PLC) system comprising:
 a loop coil; 
 a master configured to use the loop coil as a power line and a communication line and outputs a high-frequency signal to the loop coil to transmit power and a signal; and 
 a slave including a looped aperture antenna configured to receive high-frequency power of the loop coil through electromagnetic induction coupling of an electromagnetic field occurring at the loop coil in accordance with an applied current of the loop coil and a received power measurement portion that monitors received power received at the aperture antenna, 
 wherein the loop coil is configured so that an aperture region facing an aperture region of the aperture antenna is larger than other aperture regions, 
 wherein the master and the slave are configured to operate in an adjustment mode that adjusts power line communication at a communication rate lower than a normal rate before starting normal power line communication, 
 wherein when the master outputs the high-frequency signal, the slave is configured to receive the high-frequency signal and allows the received power measurement portion to measure a reception power level, 
 wherein the communication system is configured such that when a measurement result is greater than or equal to a predetermined level, normal power line communication starts between the master and the slave, and 
 wherein the slave further includes a superposition/separation circuit configured to receive the high-frequency signal from the master, and to separate the received high-frequency signal into a power signal and a communication data signal. 
 
     
     
       11. The vehicular PLC system according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the slave further includes a power supply monitoring circuit configured to perform power supply to a load, and 
 the power supply monitoring circuit is configured to cut the power supply to the load in the adjustment mode.